LAFAYETTE, La. — Classrooms have reopened at the historic Holy Rosary Institute, breathing new life into the campus and marking what community members call a new beginning for education in the area.
Prime Time Head Start has opened a new campus on the grounds of the institute, which was founded in 1913. The facility now serves 60 children receiving early childhood education.
"We got 60 young people receiving their education, an early childhood education here, and that's such a huge deal not only for Holy Rosary but for this community and the communities we serve," Dustin Cravens said.
Cravens serves as board president of the Holy Rosary Redevelopment Corporation. Four classrooms were added at the Carmel Street location as part of a larger campus revitalization effort.
"This is one major piece to this puzzle," Cravens said. "We hope to serve this community mind, body, and soul. There will be a library here, an economic business center here, and a museum component. When you put all those different pieces into play, you really change the face and the feeling of a community."
The Head Start program focuses on serving underserved populations, according to Director Dena Thomas.
"At Head Start, we serve those who are the most underserved, so those in poverty, those in foster care, so it's really important to bring that light back and to make sure we are giving them the same opportunities that everyone has a right to Head Start, a good education and enrich them in their culture," Thomas said.
For State Representative Tehmi Chassion, who represents District 44, the opening brought back personal memories. Chassion displayed a shirt he drew 41 years ago during his own time in Head Start.
"It feels amazing," Chassion said. "Head Start gave me the head start that I needed to go through elementary, middle, high school, college, become a doctor. Head Start will be the head start that all of the kids in our community are going to use to just boost them to the stars,"
Senator Gerald Boudreaux also attended the opening, noting the continuation of educational opportunities at the historic site.
"Now we are here at Holy Rosary and it continues," Boudreaux said.
Click here to learn more about Prime Time Head Start and Early Head Start.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
